Please explain toilet training to me, not how to do it but what exactly we're 'training'

[Rockbird]

Vague I know but I'll try to explain...

I took DD out of nappies on Monday, so far not too bad. Yesterday she was with my mum all day and mum said she went in the potty and toilet loads but once, she got up from the potty having done a wee, went off to play and did a wee on the floor, so only moments after she'd had one. This got me thinking.

Are we training them to go in the potty/toilet instead of the nappy? Or are we training them to recognise the signs of wanting to wee and to take themselves off when they feel that feeling IYSWIM?

If it's the former then that's easy enough. If it's the latter as I suspect then it's trickier. And is the training part getting them to learn when they need to go? Is that why everyone says to persevere and they'll get the hang of it?

Sorry, this makes no sense, I know what I mean but can't explain it properly.

but in order for them to go to the potty instead of the nappy they first have to recognise the signs of wanting to wee, so surely it is both?

I think it's a little bit of both really. I think we need to train them to pee/poo in the potty/toilet and usually (in the beginning anyway) this means us initiating the use of the potty i.e we take them even though they haven't asked to go and then by asking them if they need to use the potty/toilet they begin to recognise the signs themselves I suppose Not sure if this is really the kind of answer that you are looking for but hope it helps.

Also, what you said about your DD peeing on the floor moments after using potty - my DD does the same thing at the moment, although she is (just) starting to get into the habit of going back to the potty (I hope!!)